So many mobile phones are announced each year that it’s easy for the odd one to slip under the radar. These stealth handsets tend to be low specced, flimsy and available on affordable prepay deals. Imagine our surprise then, when we inadvertently stumbled across the Samsung S7350 Ultra Slide – with a five-megapixel camera, HSDPA connectivity and A-GPS navigation credentials, this is no slouch.

 

Look and feel

 

Virgin Mobile took the S7350, rebranded it as the Samsung Classico and now offers it as part of its ‘best ever £20 monthly tariff’. The Classico joins Samsung’s ever-growing slider portfolio and sports a silver and black combination that looks as though it is made of steel. In fact, it is actually plastic, and this gives the handset a vulnerable feel – particularly the rather flimsy battery cover, which is a real shame.

The sliding mechanism requires a forceful push, but it’s smooth and fluid and reveals a 3x4 standard keypad that is spacious enough to compose texts at lightning speed. Beneath the 2.6-inch screen are four hard keys that surround a well-positioned D-pad that is excellent for one-handed navigation. Press this key when the phone is idle, either slid open or closed, and you will be taken to the menu. However, as shutting the phone automatically locks the device, a combination of the hard keys is required to activate the phone first if it is closed.

 

Five-megapixel camera

 

One function that will only operate when the phone is slid open is the five-megapixel camera, and this is due to the lens being hidden behind the front of the phone. Samsung has decided to decorate the area surrounding the lens with a tacky, chequered pattern. We feel plain silver, or even black, would have been a far better alternative. Once the camera has been fired up, the navigation pad doubles up as shortcuts to the LED flash, brightness settings, timer speeds and the macro on/off setting. The aforementioned ‘macro’ setting should be used when attempting that close-up shot, and we’re pleased to say that it definitely makes a difference. The definition of colour was improved, as was the contrast.

Other settings can be accessed via the more extensive camera menu, including the wonderful smile shot and face detection. While these two features have been around for a while now, we’re convinced they are continually improving. Both features identified up to three faces, and smile shot worked each time one of our subjects cracked a grin. Smile shot does need to be switched on each time you use the camera though.

 

Fake call

 

The Samsung Classico packs in some quirky features that are bound to prove popular, including ‘fake call’ and ‘etiquette pause’. The former can be activated by subtlety pressing the navigation key – your phone will then ring as though you are receiving a genuine call. Clever stuff indeed, but as the handset will most likely be locked when closed, you will have to press a combination of keys to activate the navigation pad, thus losing the subtlety aspect. As for the ‘etiquette pause’, switch it on and, should you receive an unwanted call or alarm, simply turn the phone face down to switch the ringer off.

 

The verdict

 

Throw in A-GPS and data speeds of HSDPA and the Samsung Classico is one competent handset. However, while it matches others in terms of specs, the build of the phone still feels very much in the lower end of the market, and therefore left us feeling a little despondent.